Lakers' pain is only beginning to take hold

Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Nash (10) on the court during an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, in Dallas. The Mavericks won 123-104. (Tony Gutierrez/Associated)

That the end for Steve Nash might have come on a languid Sunday night in the middle of November as a member of Lakers during a blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves is rife with all sorts of irony and conflict.

It's mostly a painful reminder the longer you hang on the less likely the finish will be glorious. And some plans are better off left in the desk drawer.

But also how every ending offers the opportunity to create a new beginning.

Even for a proud franchise like the Lakers, who are approaching one of the more critical crossroads in their history.

When Nash limped from the Staples Center court three days ago, he represented the final piece of a would-be Lakers dynasty that crumbled before our very eyes. And one we now know had little chance of ever coming to fruition.

Dwight Howard never wanted to be here, Nash never should have been here and placing the two of them alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol under one coach the Lakers didn't believe in and another whose philosophy contradicted the personnel was the epitome of a major reach.

We all bought into it at the time. So to retroactively blame Mitch Kupchak or Jim Buss for the failed outcome would be disingenuous.

In theory, the grouping of Nash, Howard, Bryant and Gasol seemed wise and prudent — four All-Star caliber players in one starting lineup, the best center in the game, Nash running the point and Bryant free from ball-handling duties, preserving energy through the early stages of games and carrying the Lakers down the stretch.

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The possibilities seemed limitless.

A championship in year one might have been too ambitious, but we fully expected them to be finalizing a run at a title this season. And with it, Bryant finally would catch Michael Jordan with six NBA championships.

It all seemed within reach two summers ago.

What we couldn't account for was Howard's indifference to being a Laker, Nash's aging body and how Bryant would push himself so hard to salvage a playoff appearance he destroyed his Achilles in the process.

And how the convergence of all of those factors would lead to the catastrophe we now witness when the Lakers take the floor each night.

In one form or another they are all gone now, Howard fleeing to Houston, Nash sidelined with back and leg injuries, Bryant making his way down the long, lonely road of rehabilitation and Gasol overwhelmed as the focal point on a mediocre team.

Nash may return, but for how long and at what level?

Bryant will return, but no guarantee he will be close to the same player he was before the injury.

And even if they both come back at some semblance of their former selves, will it really matter in an unforgiving Western Conference loaded with youthful talent and spry legs?

Which brings us back to Sunday night and the sight of a proud veteran like Nash hobbling off the court, his 39-year-old body betraying him and his frustrated face portraying doubt and apprehension of an uncertain future.

And what it all means for Nash and the Lakers.

Thus far, he has given no indication this will be the end for him, even though it's looking less and less likely the Lakers can rely on him for heavy minutes or back-to-back games.

His pride and professionalism will push him to come back, partly out of responsibility to the $18 million he's still owed but also to craft a more fitting end to his career.

In the back of his mind, Nash, like the Lakers, still holds out hope he and Bryant can return to orchestrate one last run together.

It's all they have at this point, and with the money already spent they will cling to that dream as long as possible.

The heart may be willing for Bryant and Nash, but the body might not be capable.

As we sit here today, the best-case scenario is maybe the eighth or seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs — although that seems far-fetched — and an immediate dismissal in the first round.

None of which will do the Lakers any good in a league where wallowing in the middle gets you nowhere.

Meanwhile, the tantalizing possibilities of one of the deepest drafts in years and the prospect of more than $50 million dollars to spend in an intriguing free-agent class is pulling our attention from this year to next summer.

And thoughts we never thought we'd entertain begin circling in our heads.

Such as encouraging Bryant to not rush his comeback, even if it means sitting out the entire season.

And privately hoping Nash decides to walk away as a medical casualty, free to collect his entire salary while the Lakers wipe his entire contract off the books for next season.

Or wistfully wondering what Gasol could command on the trade market, his health intact and his talent still capable of providing a complementary piece to a championship-caliber team.

Finally, the Lakers artfully avoiding the playoffs in order to increase their chances of garnering a premium first-round draft pick.

Admit it. All of those thoughts have crossed your mind recently.

When Nash limped off the court Sunday, it wasn't a time to regretfully ponder what could have been, but instead a chance to focus on what might be.

It's a future that undoubtedly will require difficult decisions to be made and mean the Lakers and their fans incurring pain to which they are not accustomed.

But that's just the way it is when you are beginning from ground zero, which is where the Lakers stand at the moment.

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